In the machining of surfaces with conventional cutting tools in numerically controlled milling machines, for example, a substantially rough surface finish is obtained after the machining process has been completed. This is particularly true when the surfaces being machined have varying curvatures.
When using a conventional ball end mill or a flat face end mill, for example, ridges are formed on the machine surface along the contours that are cut with the end mills. These ridges result in applying a rough surface finish to the machined workpiece.
A basic deficiency of the conventional milling procedures is that the slopes of the workpiece between milled contours is not taken into account. There is no provision in the conventional milling procedures for adapting the cutting tool to the varying slopes of the workpiece between contours.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement in which a numerically controlled milling process results in a substantially smooth surface finish of the workpiece.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of the foregoing character, which may be easily and economically applied.